Banking app down? What to do and how to check

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If your banking app won't work, first find out whether the problem is the bank or your phone. Check the bank's service status page or official account, then close and reopen the app, restart your phone and update the app. If the bank has an outage, wait for its updates and ignore any message offering to help.

Quick answer

Check your bank's service status page or official social account to see if it has reported a problem. If it hasn't, close and reopen the app, restart your phone and install any app update. While an outage lasts, use the bank's other channels, and don't act on calls or texts about it. Complain to the bank if it cost you money.

How do I check if my banking app is down?

Start with what the bank itself says. Banks publish outages in their own channels, and those are the only places that tell you what's actually wrong.

  1. The bank's service status page. Many UK banks have one. HSBC UK's, for example, lists mobile banking, online banking, phone banking, branches, card transactions, payments and cash machines separately, and shows "Our services are working normally" for each when there's no problem. Find your bank's page from its official website.
  2. The bank's official social accounts. On 20 October 2026, Revolut and the Emma money app both posted updates on X while their apps were disrupted, and posted again when services were back.
  3. The provider's status page, if one is involved. On 20 October 2026, Google posted updates about its London outage on its Cloud Service Health page, status.cloud.google.com. Revolut and Emma later said their disruption was due to that outage. Our guide to the Google Cloud outage of 20 October 2026 has the timeline.
  4. User-report sites. Downdetector collects reports from people having problems with a service. A spike shows that others are reporting trouble too. Only the bank can tell you what's wrong and when it will be fixed.

For a wider check on whether a service is down for everyone, see is Google down or is it just me?

Is it my phone or the bank?

If the bank reports no problem, try the steps Apple and Google give for an app that isn't working. Check your phone has a working internet connection first.

On an iPhone, Apple's steps are:

  1. Close the app, then open it again.
  2. Restart your iPhone, then try the app.
  3. Check for updates: open the App Store, tap your profile icon, then tap App Updates. If there's no update for the app, update your iPhone's software.

On Android, Google's steps are:

  1. Restart your phone. Hold the Power button for about 30 seconds, or until it restarts. You may need to tap Restart.
  2. Update the app: open the Google Play Store, tap your profile icon at the top right, tap Manage apps and devices, and install any updates under Updates available.
  3. Force stop the app from your phone's Settings app. Google says the exact steps vary by phone.

Apple and Google both list deleting and reinstalling an app as a later step, and both warn it can erase data stored in the app. For a banking app, contact your bank first, using the number on its official website.

What can I still do while the app is down?

An app outage doesn't always mean every service is down. HSBC UK's status page, for example, reports phone banking, card transactions, payments and cash machines as separate services, each with its own status. Check which ones your bank says are affected.

Our guide on how to pay when your banking app isn't working covers paying by card or phone wallet, online banking and telephone banking while the app is out.

Is my money safe?

An app you can't open is not the same as a bank that has failed. On 20 October 2026, Revolut said on X that all its customers' money and data were safe, and Emma said data and money were safe throughout. Our guide is my money safe when my bank's app is down? explains what the FSCS protects and when.

How do I avoid scams during an outage?

The NCSC says criminals often exploit current news stories to make a scam seem more relevant, and after the global IT outage of 19 July 2024 it said an increase in phishing referencing that outage had already been observed. Don't use links or numbers in a message about the outage; the NCSC says to contact the organisation using the details on its official website. Our guide to scam texts after a bank outage covers what banks say they will never ask, forwarding texts to 7726 and reporting fraud, and security update scam emails covers fake emails.

Can I complain if the outage cost me money?

Yes. The FCA's advice is to complain to the firm first. Our guide on how to pay when your banking app isn't working sets out the FCA's steps and time limits, including when you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

More questions

Why is my banking app not working today?

It could be a problem at the bank, at a provider it relies on, or on your phone. Check the bank's service status page and official accounts first. On 20 October 2026, for example, Revolut and Emma said their disruption was due to a Google Cloud outage in London.

Is my banking app down or is it just me?

If the bank's status page or official account reports a problem, it isn't just you. If it reports nothing, try closing and reopening the app, restarting your phone and updating the app, as Apple and Google advise.

Should I delete and reinstall my banking app?

Apple and Google both list it as a later step and warn that you may lose data stored in the app. Try the other steps first, and contact your bank using the details on its official website before you reinstall.

Will my bank call me about the outage?

Treat any unexpected call or message about an outage with care. Take Five lists being asked to move money to a "safe" account or to share a one-time passcode, password or PIN as warning signs. Hang up and call the number on your bank's website.

Can I get compensation for a bank app outage?

Complain to the bank first. The FCA says firms generally must reply in writing within 8 weeks, and you can then take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the final response.

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